29 June 2018 - Friday

29 June 2018 - Friday

Oh what a day we have had today!  Mom and I received separate assignments.  I went to Sixth Crossing with four other Elders for a hefty work project, and mom was on the work crew at the Homestead.  We had our morning prayers and scripture study before breakfast and then we each went our separate ways. Mom's assignments went through noon today, and I got home at close to 6:00pm.  

Our work assignment at Sixth Crossing was to set up coverings for 17 port-a-potties along the Historic Trail from Rocky Ridge.  The agreement with the BLM is to have these restroom stops as natural as possible along this trail.  The group trekking schedule, as approved by the BLM, is for a six week period beginning July 1st and ending the second week in August.  These restroom stops must be put up within 5 days of the opening of the season, for hiking Rocky Ridge, and must come down within 5 days of the season ending date.  Here are some action shots and explanations;

Elder Taylor driving the first load of potties

Our location for the potties is on the National Historic Trail

The actual Historic Mormon Trail

Each of these portable shelters are six large and heavy panels

These potties will be every three miles along the historic trail to Rock Creek

Each of those panels weighs about 100 pounds.  It took four men to put them in place and one man to bolt them together.  We installed 18 panels and 17 port-a-potties.  As we were putting on the roof timbers, Elder Bruce Hafen and his family came up over Rocky Ridge.  Elder Hafen is an emeritus member of the First Quorum of Seventy, and he was being escorted by President Scott Lorimer, who began the entire process of the Second Rescue back in 1992.   I did not seek pictures of these men for the blog, but I did get to talk at length with Elder Hafen.  

The girls in the Hafen Family were wanting to use the potties still on the truck, so I got the brethren to get two of them set up for immediate use.  Needless to say, this senior missionary, and his brethren, became immediate missionary heroes!  

Unloading the potties

Thank goodness for a lift gate!

Port-a-potty rescuers!  

Our finished project!

The mission presidency expected to have this project take two days.  Oh how they underestimate the senior missionaries on this detail.  Today was hard work, but it was so much fun working with these men and sharing mission stories with them throughout the day.  It was a great team effort, and we were so ready for the hot tub!

I have enlarged this picture to show a portion of the 20 miles we had to drive to get to the trail

We took two full size flat bed trucks, loaded with port-a-potties, one heavy duty truck and 24' trailer filled with the building panels, and the tool truck I was driving, over these roads.  This is all BLM land, and we have the permission of the authorities to drive these roads.  About 10 miles in from the main highway, and while driving on these dirt roads, there was a sign that said, "4-wheelers recommended beyond this point".  I should have taken a picture of that sign!  After I passed the sign, the ruts in the road became deeper and deeper and very hard to navigate.  It took us over an hour to drive the 20 miles to the restroom location.  

I cannot help but think about the challenges the early 1856 emigrants faced coming through this area on their way to Salt Lake City, and their "Zion".  They came through at the extreme time of year with snow and wind, and no supplies, to get to their destination.  We just spent a hard day toiling here that represented a drop in the bucket compared to their sacrifices.  I hope we never forget the faith and the determination of these early Latter-day Saints.  It is a pleasure to serve here in remembrance of them.